The insinuating debate between St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly over the proposed value-added-tax (VAT) Bill, is reported to have ended. The VAT bill was unanimous approved following a vote at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 11.

Since, eradication of personal income tax in 1980, the legislative decision over the bill approval is deemed to the first major overhaul witnessed by the country’s tax regime.

However, several amendments are reported to have been approved and introduced along with the passage of the Bill, Press Secretary Erasmus Williams uncovered.

“[They] abolished the personal income tax, which is a progressive tax. So they removed the tax that poor people never paid, and replaced it with a number of across-the-board taxes that affected every single person in this country”, highlighted Liburd.

Earlier the passing of the bill was smooth, but following the second reading of the 150-page document on August 6, the bill was embroiled in a heated argument of St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly concerning myriad issues relating to the planned Nov. 1 implementation.

With the implementation of VAT, the twin-island Federation’s tax system is set to witness some major significant changes. In addition, it is claimed that its introduction will insinuate modernization with the eradication of 12 current taxes including the Cable TV Tax, the Consumption Tax, and the Export Duty, among others.